Saving those Dimes

I admit I suck with money! I am a spender like no other. Its not even that I buy expensive things it's more of I find deals I feel I can't pass up, but as I cram that $4 outfit into Adrian & Adelle's already full closet I make a mental note to stop spending.
We've been dreaming of building our own house, nothing big, in fact we'd prefer it to be small. After All:

Love this sign!

Part of that dreaming though is the reality that we want 20% for a down payment. It's a lot but it's worth it when you don't have to pay Private Mortgage Insurance which averages about an extra $100 a month.

To keep myself from going crazy with my spending habit I've been looking at House Plans. The best thing about building is you can be picky, and believe me when you're spending a good amount of money on something such as a house, you should be picky! I have my list of requirements such as: open floor plan, 3 bedrooms, finished basement...but I also have "stairs must not be exposed". I'm not a huge fan of the stairs going down to the basement being the first thing you see when you enter the house.

This is probably at the top of my list. I love the lay out, the porch, the fact that it's 1 story and the laundry room is on the first floor. We're not really interested in a "starter home" In fact we hope that the first house we buy will be the only house we buy.

Any suggestions or tips about building. I'd like to talk to a builder and get their estimate and advice. Know anyone? If you happen to live in the Gretna Area and know of a Lot for sale let us know, that's probably going to be one of the hardest things to find.